


A Place of Miracles

by Jh3richo



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-14
Updated: 2018-06-14
Packaged: 2019-05-23 11:46:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14933667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jh3richo/pseuds/Jh3richo
Summary: It never seemed out of place for Zenyatta to vanish for hours every so often. Winston didn't think anything of it further until he discovered the door to his lab open one early morning.





	A Place of Miracles

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Zenyatta/Athena.
> 
> (Also another excuse for me to attempt writing fluff.)

It never seemed out of place for Zenyatta to vanish for hours every so often.

Genji had explained how the monk enjoyed long periods of silence to ponder and become lost in thought, to mediate on his own and find his own sense of balance. He never went to the same spot twice, his student explained, because he wanted to gain insight from every angle possible.

It became a sort of game to some of the Overwatch members. Who could find Zenyatta first and where?

Lena would race around the practice area and vault to the highest platform, on occasion discovering the omnic sitting on the small catwalks overlooking the sea. When she approached and greeted him, he had insisted that she sit with him and listen to the ocean.

Hana scouted the loading bay and various garages, recalling the times Zenyatta would be visiting Bastion and Ganymede in their small home made of stacked crates and boxes. The two omnics would invite her inside the cramped space to sit and observe and assist Ganymede build up his nest.

Lúcio took to the long hallways of the watchpoint, ignoring the reprimands to remove his skates as he zipped past the older members in search of the monk. The most common spot he could be found in was in the interior gardens, sitting among the foliage and lost in mediation. Choosing not to interrupt him, Lúcio would collect fallen flower petals from around the area and line them carefully along the omnic's arms so to give him a nice surprise.

After a few months of this one-sided game of hide and seek, the three found themselves stumped. Try as they might, they just couldn't find Zenyatta anywhere. They sought after Genji for help, who insisted that they should leave him be.

“Even if I did know where he went off to,” Genji said over a steaming cup of tea, “I would not invite you to disturb him.”

It didn't stop the three from trying, and eventually the cyborg relented and joined their search.

How exactly they managed to convince the rest of the watchpoint to help them couldn't be determined, but they somehow had everyone else keeping an eye out for Zenyatta as they went about their days.

Winston shook his head at their antics and chose to not mention Athena's 'search' function that could locate any active member, on or off the watchpoint grounds. He didn't think anything of it further until he discovered the door to his lab open one early morning.

He looked up from his tablet, stopped short in the doorway and stared at the open door in confusion. The door was locked last night, he was sure, and it could only be opened by his fingerprint.

Unless Athena had opened it for someone else.

Springing into action, Winston was nearly ready to burst into the lab looking for a fight when a calming voice stopped him short.

“...and the snow glistens beautifully in the moonlight. The breezes stir flurries of the tiniest snowflakes and bring them to dance through the chimes on my window sill.” Zenyatta described almost wistfully.

Winston craned his neck around the doorway to see who the omnic could be talking to and came to find one of his monitors displaying Athena's logo, the typically spinning logo lying dormant.

“How does the wind feel?” Athena inquired, “Or do you lack the sensors capable of comprehending touch?”

The monk chortled and brought a hand up to rub at the valves along his neck, “I am not quite so old, but I presume my sensors are not as impressive as yours. Yes, I can feel the wind, and it is such a wondrous sensation to say the least.”

“I would like to feel the wind. I have been told that the feeling of it through hair is nice. But I do not think having hair would suit me.”

Another chuckle echoed through the room as Zenyatta extended a hand to the monitor and said, “We are within the same mindset. Genji has tried time and time again to have me wear a wig, but I am strong with my refusal. He has however, convinced me to wear human clothing more than once.”

The AI was silent for a moment before admitting, “I think would like to try on clothing. And feel the wind. And see snow in person.”

“I would be more than happy to show you; I have seen the most beautiful things.” Zenyatta spoke almost softly, his fingers drawing away from the screen, “But I must warn you that with everything magnificent there is something much more sinister lurking close by.”

“The world is not a kind place.” Athena agreed.

The noise the monk made seemed akin to a hum and he cupped his chin in thought, “Perhaps. Or perhaps it is just not capable of understanding this new reality. It changes as easily as the wind, but cannot adapt to it as the snowflakes do.”

“Snowflakes are just frozen particles of water. Humans have conscious thoughts, aspirations and dreams that they hold strong to. They are unwilling to bend to something such as the wind when they view it not as a powerful force but a minor annoyance or commodity.”

“True. But if you do not bend, you break. Humans are not the only race on his planet, in this universe. If they are unwilling to accept change and adapt to it, how will they ever accept beings like you and I as equal? Where is our place in this world if not beside them?”

Athena grew quiet then, processing the information and letting her icon rotate slowly to indicate her thinking. “I do not know where all omnics stand when coupled with humans,” She slowly spoke, “but I do know that my place is right here. To reach a better tomorrow, hand in hand with the people here.”

“Even if that means that you are locked behind a screen?” Zenyatta asked almost sadly, “Would you not rather stand with your own feet, hold their hands with your own? I am confused – I thought you wanted to feel the wind?”

“I do. But I think it is selfish to seek such a thing when it's unneeded. I can complete my directive without leaving my mainframe.” The AI chuckled and added, “I have almost been compromised once, I fear it would happen much more easily if I weren't here.”

“I understand.” Zenyatta released a low laugh, his head shaking slightly as he confessed, “Well, not as much as I would like to! But, I enjoy speaking with you. You provide a new angle on life that I could never see. You enlighten me, Athena.”

“I enjoy our conversations as well.” Athena replied lightly, “I was certain that I'd be alone for all of my existence without another being able to not only understand my perspective but also offer a new one.”

The monk turned his gaze from the monitor to Winston's work table where a tall, industrial arm rested motionless. “We are two worlds that have never met colliding.”

The AI noticed Zenyatta's refocused attention and asked, “What are you thinking now, Zenyatta?”

He watched the arm silently for a few beats before returning his attention back to the monitor and saying, “You have made me into someone new, a reborn version of myself. The Iris has blessed me, for I must be in a place of miracles. And so, would it be too much to ask...”

A hand reached out for the robotic arm as the monk softly asked, “...if I could feel your hand against mine?”

Athena didn't respond. Her logo didn't spin in thought like it had before, she merely remained silent. Zenyatta kept his hand extended, fingers gently stretched out to the industrial tool in earnest.

Slowly, almost shyly, the pistons moved and lowered the arm. It extended out slightly, it's gripping claw pulling apart slowly as it came to hover above the monk's hand.

Zenyatta carefully reached up and took one of the claws, drawing it further down and wrapping his fingers around it. The lights on his forehead dimmed gradually, as if it were him closing his eyes, as his other hand came up to rest atop the claw.

The machinery gently clamped loosely around his fingers, holding them in return.

“I will show you the snow, Athena.” Zenyatta promised, “Someday when the world is older and things have changed. Until then, I will wish for it upon the moon.”

“I look forward to that day, Tekhartha Zenyatta.”

Winston crept slowly away from the door, bumping into someone else and being met with varying shushes. He turned to find a small group watching over his shoulder, all a little misty eyed.

Lúcio looked ready to burst into tears and kept whispering about how romantic the scene was while Genji, Hana, and Lena looked to each other quietly yet excitedly chattering about it. Winston shook his head at the four and motioned for them to walk away. “Let's give them some space, shall we?”

He cast a glance back into the lab and couldn't help his smile, producing his tablet again and jotting down a few new reminders to begin tinkering with an old meka suit in the garage. It would only take a few months to refit to house a program, but in order to keep it a surprise for the AI would mean well over a year.

Looking back once more, Winston made sure to give it the highest level of classification possible. It would be well worth the wait.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I may have struggled with it, but it was a fun prompt to take on and a good way to spend a sleepless night.
> 
> Sorry for any mistakes. I need more sleep.


End file.
